Fire-escape.



Patented Jan. 28, I902.

n. BARCLAY. FIRE ESCAPE. A lication filed. Apr. 25. 1901.

2Sheets-Sh eet I.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR: MW,

Rolmmt/B ATTORN EYS Tm: "cams i crcns co, PHOTVLLLITQO. V'IASHINGTOINI D.-C.

N0. 692,l9l. Patented Jan. 28, I902.

I R. BARCLAY.

1 FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1901.)

No Model.)

2 S'heeis-Sh eet 2.

|NVENTOR WITNESSES;

fiahmmt- ID'L We:

ATTORNEYS;

TH: uonms Firms 90. Pwwo-umou WASHINGTON. n. c.

NITED STATES v HATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT BARCLAY, OF NE WARK, NEYV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO JAMES OORNWELL, OF NEWARK, NEV JERSEY.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,191, dated January 28, 1902.

Application filed April 25, 1901- Serial No. 57,377. 1N0 model.)

To aZZ whom/it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT BARCLAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jer- 5 sey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The objects of this invention are to avoid is the objectionable appearance due to use of fire escapes as heretofore commonly constructed at the front of stores, &c., to enable said fire-escapes to be employed without inter ference with the business signs at the front .of said stores, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which may be referred to hereinafterin connection with the description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the combined sign and fire-escape and in the arrangements and combinations of parts of the same, all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several views, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved sign and fire-escape in its normally closed position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same open or with the escape-ladderin position to permit escape from the building. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken at line 0: of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevations showing portions of the device in closed and open relations, respectively. Fig. Gis afront elevation, and Fig. 7 is a plan,of the device partly open; and Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section taken at line y of Fig. 7.

In said drawings, a indicates a building 5 having a series of windows I) b b, below which is arranged a fire-escape and sign 0, combined and operating as hereinafter described. Of

said combined sign and'fir-escape, d indicates a box-like part, the outer or lower side of which presents a smooth surface upon which letters may be printed or applied in any way common in the manufacture of business signs. 6 e are brackets disposed at opposite ends of the said box like structure and secured firmly to the wall of the building and at their projecting ends providing "pivots e, Figs. 4 and 5, or bearings for pivots upon which the said box-like part d may turn, the said pivots being on or engaging the said box-like part near its lower edge, as indicated in Fig. 4. The said box-like part at is held in a forwardly-inclined position normally, so that the lettering thereon will be easily viewed fromthe street below, and so that when the said box-like part is released it will drop by gravity to a horizontal position, as indicated in Fig. 5. To hold said box-like part in its horizontal position, I have provided suitable stays ff, which are pivotally joined, as at 70, and connect the free edge of the said box-like part to the building, the joint permitting the said box-like part to assume either the normally-inclined position or the horizontal position. Said box-like part is held in its normal position by any suitable catch g, which may be operated from the ground by means of the rod h or from the window of the building. WV hen in its horizontal position, said box-like part provides a platform at the inner or top side, upon which a person may walk from the window to the ladder '5. It also provides apassage-way j, through which said person may pass downward on the ladder to the ground, the ladder being adapted to extend through said passage, as indicated in Figs. 2 8 5 and 3. The box-like structure d is adapted to contain said ladder and protect the same more or less perfectly from the weather.

A portion Z of the lower or front part of the box-like structure is attached to the ladder 0 and is movable with said ladder, so that the said ladder is covered or concealed by said portion Z when the parts are in their normal position; but when said parts are released and the box-like part has assumed its horizontal position the said ladder will drop automatically to a position permitting an escape, as in Fig.

2, carrying the portion 1 with it, which then serves as a guard for preventing the eye of the person escaping from seeing the distance I00 from the ground, and thereby becoming dizzy. Said ladder is pivoted, as at m, to said boxlike part and is held in proper position for escape byjointed connectionsn n, which permit of the ladder being folded or turned to lie in the box or receptacle d. The upper or inner side of the box-like part (2', at its upper or outer edge, is provided with a guard-rail 0, upon which the person escaping may support himself on his Way over the platform to the ladder.

I may employ any suitable catch 9 for bolding the fire-escape normallyin position to exhibit lettering thereon. For the purpose of this case I have shown attached to the boxlike parta grooved wheel 19, adapted to receive the curved catch g, the curved end of which is adapted to enter and lie in the groove of the wheel. The said catch 9 may have a handle q to enable the escape to be released from one of the windows I), or said catch may be turned out of said groove from the ground by turning the rod h. Upon releasing the boxlike part the same gravitates from its inclined posit-ion to its position in which it presents a horizontal platform, assuming which latter position the ladder is at once automatically released, so that it drops to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, permitting an escape.

j Having thus described the invention, What I claim as new is In a fire-escape, the combination with suitable brackets adapted to be attached to the building, of a horizontal box-like part, pivoted on said brackets and a ladder pivoted on said box-like part and means for holding said ladder longitudinally Within said box-like part, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set' my hand this 8th day of April, 1901.

R0 BERT B ARCLAY.

\Vitnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, C. B. PITNEY. 

